1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to apparatuses, systems, and methods for prolonging the life of pumps and pump motors and more particularly to apparatuses, systems, and methods for prolonging the life of pumps and pump motors by preventing damage incurred by moisture, water or other liquids, or the pump running dry.
2. Description of the Related Art
When the seal of a pump (e.g., pool or spa pump) wears out and/or becomes damaged, it starts to leak. Water from the pump, typically from the area of the impeller, then reaches the shaft housing and/or the motor shaft. Because of the water's presence onto the shaft and/or into the shaft housing, in time, the motor bearing fails, thus causing the motor to seize up. When the motor bearing begins to fail, the motor load increases, causing the motor windings to overheat and burn the insulation, thus destroying the motor. Hence, if a pump seal leak is not repaired in a timely manner, it will cause early motor failure. This can be very costly for the owner. The problem is compounded by the fact that seal leaks occur inside the shaft housing and thus are typically undetectable by simple visual inspections of the pumps.
When it rains, especially when it rains hard, rain water can somehow reach inside the motor of a pool or spa pump, through ventilation holes in the case of the motor, even though they are typically placed to face the ground, causing the motor to be destroyed. This also can be very expensive for the owner who needs to incur the cost of replacing the pump.
Additionally, when a pump (e.g. pool or spa pump) lacks a new influx or flow of water and runs dry, the pump overheats and cavitates, causing the water or vapor in the pump, pump strainer, and adjacent plumbing to rise in temperature. Without sufficient water flow due to low water levels, clogs in the system, plumbing leaks, or any other such problem, this overheating of the pump's internal components is the first symptom of cavitation and can turn residual water inside into steam. A pump running dry over a sustained period of time can lead to internal and external pump damage and pump or motor failure. The repair or replacement for the pump or motor can be very costly for the owner.
Therefore, there is a need for new systems and methods for solving the above problems.
The problems and the associated solutions presented in this section could be or could have been pursued, but they are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches presented in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their presence in this section of the application.